


Reflections in the Tiger's Eye

by intresszero



Series: Zoanthrope Rising [1]
Category: Bloody Roar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 11:53:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12409821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intresszero/pseuds/intresszero
Summary: Disaster is on the horizon, are the Zoanthropes prepared? The dawn of a fierce battles awaits them.





	Reflections in the Tiger's Eye

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first published work, my first *completed* (its on an introduction, for now) work, and my first fanfic ever. I'm hoping to continue his series and bring new ones from my mind to yours. I hope you enjoy!

Why do you deny the very essence of your soul?

The air shook with the sound of fists furiously striking wood.

If you accept what is, in totality, you will know peace and power.

Harder and faster the sounds come, the air vibrating from the intensity.

Accept. Me.

Manic grunts challenge the intensity of bone on wood, vying for auditory dominance.

LONG. I. AM. YOU.

“UWAAAAGH! NO!” he shrieks, his words echoing violently around him. The sound pulsates off the walls of his cave, permeating the air.

CRACK! Wooden shafts snapped from their restraints and clattered violently on the ground. Long sighed heavily, his breathing shallow and arrhythmic. The faint patter of dripping sweat rung out, almost muted against the lingering tremolo of waning echoes. Wiping the moisture from his brow, he took a moment to regain his composure. Losing focus, even during training, can be more dangerous than any adversary.

Long draped a towel across his neck, sighing once more, as he made his way out of the cave. He raised a hand to his face, softening the sun’s caress, as he emerged from the cave. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the mountainous air. He set off toward the nearby waterfall to reinvigorate and refocus his energies. He quickly disrobed, placing his garments on a nearby rock, and sat under the tumultuous torrent meditating.

“Be as one. Peace always succeeds a storm. Focus your mind, let it become your eye.”

Long recalled the words of his master, hoping to find knowledge, if not peace.

-

Busuzima stifled a yawn as he stretched his tired muscles. Another sleepless night working until his eyelids hurt, but it would all be worth it soon. Yes, very soon! He laughed quietly to himself as he looked over the calculations outputting to the screen in front of him.

ZssT~BEEP! 

“Yah!” he screeched, startled by the sudden and jarring noise.

Busuzima wearily looked up at an overhead screen, rubbing the crust from his eyes, yawning slightly as a shadowed figure flits into view. 

“Busuzima. Progress?” a domineering voice addressed him.

“The last of the calculations are finishing as we speak and everything seems to be in order. Project should be completed within the next hour or two, boss.” Busuzima replied lazily as he returned his attention to his terminal.

“Good. Inform me when it is complete. This is a crucial step forward for us.” The screen beeped once more and the feed cut out.

Busuzima sleepily stared at his monitor, idly mimicking the low humming of his terminal, as he watched the data scroll in front of him. The terminal dinged as the calculations finished, outputing the results to the screen.

“Yahoo!” Busuzima shouted, swiveling in his chair, a sudden wave of energy washed over him. He jumped out of his chair excitedly, his exhaustion waning, and danced, poorly and rather embarrassingly. Busuzima was proficient in many things among which dancing was noticeably absent. His celebrations finished, he made his way over to an operating table surrounded by tubes, wires, and all manners of liquid filled vials and medical equipment. An unconscious young boy, no more than fourteen, was strapped down and fitted with a breathing mask and multiple IV drips.

“Now now, my little Bakuryu. Your time is now. Welcome…” Busuzima cooed lustfully, reaching for one of the vials.

-  
Splash.

The frantic sound of footsteps colliding with shallow puddles echoes in a dark alley. A muscular form tears through an alley, determined grunts barely audible. The form pauses at the alley’s end, panting from exertion.

“Where! Where could you be!?” the form growls, head hung in barely contained rage and despair.

Overhead the full moon slowly escapes its cover behind the dense clouds. The healing rays contort the shadows, forcing them to dance. Yugo looks up at the moon, seething rage tempered and determination redoubled.

“Kenji… I’ll find you, brother. That’s a promise. Whoever took you will pay.”

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Yugo notices a menacing form approaching him from out of the darkness.

“Who’s there? If you have a problem, we can settle it.”

“B-bu-su—zimARRGH!” The form grunts and wails, hemorrhaging barely decipherable speech as it steps into the light. The creature’s form is grotesque —blue, veiny, barely human— and the mere act of existing seems to cause it pain.

“W-what? What are you?”

The creature brandishes a clawed hand menacingly, and Yugo in turn readies himself to battle.

“Alright, if that’s how you want it. Here we go!” he growls out as the creature approaches him.

-

“Wah! I hope I’m going the right way!” Uriko exclaims. “I have to find, Mr. Long…”

She lets out a long sigh as she continues her exhausting trek through the mountains. She had heard word that Long, the martial arts master and former Tylon assassin, had made his home there. She was desperate to find him, to thank him for saving her life and to train her to fight. She was weak, and she wanted to be strong. She’d find him, and she would her worth to him, of that she was certain.

As she walked the path she began to hear a faint sound. It sounded like…chopping, maybe? Ecstatic, she bounded after the sound with renewed vigor until she came upon a man chopping wood. The man noticed her immediately and regarded her hesitantly.

“U-uhm, are you Mr. Long?” she asked tentatively.

Long, wearily and afraid of what this interaction could bring, sighed regretfully. “Yes. I am Long. Why have you sought me out?”

Nervous, she hesitated. She couldn’t fail now. She needed to be strong. She bowed fiercely before addressing him.

“I wanted to thank you! For saving me during the Tylon incident! My mother told me all about you, and now she’s been kidnapped! I’m not strong enough to save her now! Please, Mr. Long, train me so that I can save my mother!”

Long, taken aback by the sincerity of her words, closed his eyes and thought for a long moment. He knew that he could not allow evil of this sort to prosper, but his involvement would be dangerous. Was it worth the risk? He sighed.

“What is your name?”

“U-uriko.”

“Alright, Uriko, I will become your teacher. It will not be easy, are you truly prepared to take on this burden?”

“Yes, Master Long! I’m prepared. I’ll do whatever it takes!”

“Good. Follow me, then, Uriko. Rest now, and we’ll begin your training afterwards.”

Long led her to a makeshift bed and set about finishing his tasks before making dinner. He sighed, wearily, having thought this life of strife and battle was behind him. Taking on a student hadn’t been what he wanted, but he could not send her away in her time of need. He would instruct her, help her, and guide her. Maybe through this he would rid himself of the evil that plagued him. Regardless, a task that could wait until morning.


End file.
